Strong is the new Sexy: Serena Williams

You remember that time when we would not stop gushing over the decision of Kareena Kapoor to walk the ramp all pretty and dressed up and happily flaunting a baby bump? At that time it was considered to be a benchmark of feminism by all of us. But it is ancient history now. Then came Beyonce our beloved queen bee who set some really high pregnancy announcement goals clad in a beautiful bikini and she didn’t just stop there. Her performance at the Grammy’s with a baby in her belly was out of the world. We all thought this is the maximum on Goddess scale.

But wait !!! Not so quick. If there is anyone who deserves this title of Goddess if there is anyone before whom we all should bow our heads in reverence it is Serena Williams. Lately, she announced she is 20 weeks pregnant and we all started calculating backwards. She was 2 months pregnant when she not only participated in Australian open but went ahead and won the title in style. She won the final match without losing a set and she had a baby in her womb all this time.

So what makes this woman a Goddess you ask? When for most of us mere mortals it is difficult to hop out of the bed and we are all cranked up in a snap thanks to hormones flying crazy at that time of the month when so called Chums pay an unwelcome visit; this woman has a whole person inside her and is totally ruling her job. I can not even begin to comprehend the kind of scary thoughts she must be having. But she overcame all of this in style. Honestly, whatever little I am into tennis, I was a fan of Sampras once upon a time as a kid then I was in total awe of Federer. It shames me to accept that in spite of being a self proclaimed feminist, I chose to ignore a woman who is equally good at her job as these greats and it took an out of this world badassery on her part to draw my attention towards her. Believe me when I say I have goosebumps when I am talking about her. Serena Williams happens to be anything and everything that is amazing about being a woman. The kind of physical strength a woman’s body holds and the kind of emotional strength it takes to be doing what she did is unfathomable. Anybody and everybody who has ever questioned choices of women who decided to have a baby without compromising on their careers; the answer is Serena Williams. Anybody and everybody who has questioned professionalism of pregnant women; the answer is again Serena Williams.

Life must not have been a cakewalk for her. Being Black and being a girl in an unforgiving world and on top of this, deciding to play a sport which was a rich white man’s game for a very very long time. Her hairstyle was questioned; why would she wear beads they asked, claiming that the beads distracted opponents. Her choice of clothing was questioned; isn’t it way too short and way too tight when she decided to wear catsuit for a game. Her choice of bra was questioned; she makes so much of money, why can’t she buy some good quality sports bra to cover those nipples they advised. She kept silent and she kept doing her job and she kept ruling at her job. Showing to all of us self obsessed feminists- This is how it is done.

Next time anyone who worships a pregnant woman for walking down a ramp or worships a pregnant woman for dancing at an award show; to them I shall say yeah they are great and everything but there is one Goddess who rules us all and her name is Serena Williams. We should stop telling the world that Serena Williams is one of the greatest female Tennis Players. We should stop saying she is the greatest sportswoman of all times. We should also stop focusing on only the fact that Williams is one of the greatest Sportsperson the world has ever seen. We should tell the world what Serena really is: She is a legend and a revolution we have been waiting for so long. She has set some really high goals for each one of us and every subsequent that time of the month when I am thinking of calling in sick or am inclined to reach office a little late; I shall remind myself what this Goddess would have done in my place.